Renewed Hope
by kool-aidrocks2008
Summary: AU Season 7. Faith and her family are back to help fight the First but the past keeps getting in the way of everyone working together. Can they move on from the pain of their younger years, or is it all completely pointless? THIS IS A REWRITE OF Seasons Change, People Don't. Femslash; swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Shoo, so I was reading through all of my old fan fictions and dear goodness, I wrote a lot of cringe-worthy, not too good stuff, didn't I? With that in mind, I do think I came up with decent plot lines; it's just that my writing, I was roughly sixteen/seventeen at the time, left a lot to be desired. But now, years later, I've grown and I do intend to rewrite my fics one by one. Bare with me. **

**Summary: AU Season 7. Faith and her family are back to help fight the First but the past keeps getting in the way of everyone working together. Can they move on from the pain of their younger years, or is it all completely pointless? THIS IS A REWRITE OF Seasons Change, People Don't. **

**Disclaimer: I own only the storyline and the original characters. Heck, I only own part of the storyline if I'm being honest.**

**Warnings: Mentions child abuse, violence, and cursing. And OCs. **

**Note: If you've read the original, you will notice some major changes I've made to this one! I hope with the changes, better spelling and overall better grammar, the story keeps its appeal but gives a more polished vibe to it. Please review and leave constructive criticisms? It would be much appreciated!**

* * *

Chapter 1

Kennedy couldn't believe what she was hearing. She didn't want to believe what she was hearing. Some guy had shown up on her parent's doorstep almost a week ago, talking nonsense about Slayers and The First Evil and how the world was in danger. She knew all about demons and boogiemen, but she'd never heard of The First. She was sure her watcher would have mentioned it by now.

"Mom?" she looked at the woman before her. The woman who'd been her watcher, her mother figure for most of her life.

"Yes sweetie?" Diane responded. Kennedy bit her lip.

"This is real, isn't it? I'm really going to have to go and do this, aren't I?" she asked. Diane nodded with a half smile.

"Yes." She said. "But look on the bright side," she started.

"What possible bright side?" Kennedy asked before she could continue.

"Your sister will be there." She said. Kennedy's eyes widened.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. Diane nodded with a light laugh.

"Yes. And your brother is going with you. The three of you will finally be together again." She said. Kennedy let out a whoosh of air.

"Alright…" she trailed off, her smile growing a little. "Alright." She said once more. She made her way up the stairs to pack; she was going to Sunnydale.

* * *

Three weeks later, Willow stood off to the side watching as Faith said her goodbyes to the Angel Investigations group. She watched curiously as Faith ducked her head and Angel scooped her up.

"I'm going to miss you." Angel said softly into her ear. Faith nodded, smiling a little bit and hugging him tighter. "You will keep in touch, right?" he asked pulling away finally. Faith nodded, looking down at the ground most of the time.

"Yeah, sure." She said taking a few steps back. "I'm just…gonna…" she pointed over her shoulder. Gunn frowned, holding out a hand to her. She hesitated before letting her hand rest in his and he pulled her closer.

"I don't know you all that well, but you seem like you're trying to do good." He said clapping her on the back. Faith smiled uncomfortably.

"Just trying to make amends." She said quietly. "Even though some things I'll never be able to make up for." She said, shooting her eyes nervously to Wesley. The older man just fixed her with a hard stare.

"No, but you can try and move forward." He said plainly. Faith nodded, swallowing and looking around. She offered a little smile to Fred as she tried to step away again.

"Well, seems I have a thing for you tortured soul types." Cordelia said with an eye roll. She fixed Faith with a bored stare before shrugging. "Come back in one piece and we'll talk." She said before walking away. Faith nodded again, finally looking up and meeting everyone's eyes.

"Thanks…for this last chance." She said. Her eyes connected with Wesley's and he just looked away.

"All you can do is try and do good. You'll never be absolved for what you did; your heart will always remind you." Angel said gently. She nodded, swallowing heavily before finally walking away. She met Willow at the car and nodded to her.

"So, we're on our way home, Faith. You ready for this?" Willow asked, trying to sound chipper. Faith shrugged a shoulder with a half smile.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She said softly. Willow smiled at her, getting in and finally setting off toward Sunnydale. They were silent for almost half an hour before Willow spoke up.

"I get it now, yunno?" Willow asked. Faith turned confused eyes to her,

"Get what?"

"What it's like." Willow continued. "That feeling of-of power you get when you taste the dark stuff. It's good." She explained. Faith looked confused.

"Really? How would you know?" she asked. Willow cleared her throat.

"Well," she started. Her eyes burned with tears. "When T-Tara died, I lost it. I was already losing myself, yunno? Like, I felt it slipping and she tried to help me but…then she died and I just… nothing mattered anymore." She said. Faith swallowed hard.

"Because you lost a part of yourself; she died, and you died with her." she said, already knowing the answer. Willow nodded.

"While I was away, I thought about you." She said. Faith raised an eyebrow. "I thought 'Hey, what if Faith felt this when Allen died? God, she must have been going through hell.' And I realized how scared you must've been." She said looking over at her. Faith set her jaw.

"That doesn't excuse what I did." She said. Willow shook her head quickly.

"No! O-of course not." She said. She licked her lips quickly. "B-but it does give a whole- a whole new dimension to what happened. Something I don't think Xander or Buffy will ever understand fully." She added.

"And you do?" Faith asked tilting her head. Willow nodded.

"I…I tortured him, Faith. Mentally and I- I took his life because I thought I had too. I would have ended the world. There's only one difference between you and I." Faith waited. "I had people around me who I knew would help me. Somewhere, under all of that…that darkness I always knew people loved me." She said. Faith didn't say anything back; she just looked out the window.

"How do you sleep?" Faith asked finally. Willow smiled sadly.

"Sometimes, I don't. I can't get the smell…or the feeling out of my mind." She admitted. Faith nodded.

"Or the fact that you went from being out of control to in control. You had him at your mercy and he was begging and you knew you could but your begging didn't stop anything, so why should his? And you liked it, right?" Faith asked. Willow flinched.

"At the time…" she trailed off. Faith nodded in understanding.

"But sometimes, sometimes somethin' goes wrong and you go back to that feeling and…you see the appeal." She whispered. Faith looked at her, brown eyes swimming with pain before looking back out the window. "But then you remember there's something out there more important." She added. The rest of the ride was spent in silence as Willow thought it over.

* * *

"Faith!" Kennedy ran from the house and wrapped her arms around Faith immediately. She hadn't seen her sister in years; it felt good to just wrap her arms around her.

"Dude, it's been forever. I hate you." Their brother Braden said walking out to join the hug. Willow blinked and stood off to the side, confused as to how her girlfriend knew Faith.

"I'm sorry guys, I'm sorry." Faith whispered over and over again. Kennedy just hugged her tighter and breathed deeply.

"It'll be okay." Braden said. "You can make it up to us when this is over, okay?" he said tapping his fist against her chin. She swallowed and shook her head.

"I can't...I've gotta go back to prison." She said.

"What? Why?" Kennedy asked. Her watcher never told her where Faith was.

"I…hurt people." Faith said stepping away from her younger siblings. "I killed people." She corrected. Kennedy stepped away in disgust while Braden wore a blank mask.

"You're joking and it's not funny." Kennedy said. Faith wrapped her arms around herself. "Why, Faith?" she asked, her heart breaking. Faith shrugged, looking away and willing her emotions down.

"Do I need to explain it now?" she asked. Kennedy looked at her and hugged her again.

"I love you, okay? I love you." She said. Braden stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, guess we gotta get inside. Apocalypse and all that shit, right?" he asked turning on his heel and stalking inside. Faith hung her head and Kennedy nudged her.

"We'll be okay, I promise." She said grabbing Faith's hand and leading her inside. Into the lion's den it seemed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh, wow! Thank you all for the reviews and alerts! I'm honestly not sure how many of you, other than Angel of Fire, actually remember the original story but I'm glad all of you are liking this version. And to the one who pointed out Faith's current...portrayal, I just want it to be said that I'm trying to expand on her character a little. **

**Also, as I'm sure many of you remember, I'm not too much of a fan of the 'Scooby Gang'. That being said, I don't want to bash any of them because they all have some great qualities. Hopefully my portrayal of them is up to par and you all continue to enjoy this chapter. Please, review and leave your opinions and criticisms. Thanks again :)**

* * *

By the time the four of them entered the house, Faith wore a cocky smirk as she greeted Buffy.

"Sup, B?" she questioned. Buffy looked up from where she was sitting and her eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Faith shrugged a shoulder, a nonchalant air to her.

"Just checkin' in, seein' what's the what and all that." She said playfully. Buffy rolled her eyes and looked at Willow who offered a hesitant smile.

"Buffy…this thing is big. We…we need all the help we can get." She explained patiently. Kennedy took a note of the tension in the room and looked at Faith questioningly. Faith didn't meet her eyes, but instead kept her vision focused on Buffy. Buffy scoffed.

"Will, I'd understand if you'd brought Angel back but….Faith?" she questioned. Faith hid her hurt and chuckled mostly to herself.

"C'mon B; you know I'm strong and can handle it. I'm here for back-up." she said with a smirk. Buffy looked up and wanted to wipe it from her face. She bit her tongue however and turned to face Giles. Willow turned back to Faith and offered an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry just…give her time." She whispered. Faith shrugged.

"No need to be sorry, Red. It is what it is." She said. "But since you guys are just researchin', I think I'm gonna go find a place to crash." She said jutting an arm over her shoulder. Willow bit her lip but didn't stop her. Buffy looked up when the door closed then glared at Willow. She missed Braden slipping out of the door.

* * *

"Where ya goin?" Braden asked jogging to catch up to Faith. She looked at him, tilting her head but continuing her walk.

"To find a motel or something." She said. He fell into step beside her.

"Why? Buffy's got everyone crashin' with her or her crew. Why not just stay with one of them?" he asked. Faith sighed.

"There are some…tensions with all of us." She said finally.

"Yeah, no shit." He scoffed. "I picked up on the temperature drop when you walked in. What went down?" he asked. She didn't answer him so he waited patiently. For a few minutes. "What'd they do to you?" he asked switching tactics. She paused,

"Nothin'. I did some stuff to them." She said leaving out all the details.

"Like what?" he asked. She stopped, looking him in the eye.

"Does all of that really matter right now? We've got some pretty big shit about to go down, can't it wait till after?" she asked. He shrugged a shoulder.

"Could wait till after, yeah." He conceded. "But by then, I'm imagining everyone will have put in their version of shit and I wanna hear yours first." He said after a few seconds. She sighed, walking away. "What, sleep with her boyfriend or somethin'?" he asked. He really wanted to know.

"Somethin' like that." She said, admitting there was truth in that statement.

"Who'd you kill?" he asked bluntly. She stopped, turning her eyes to him quickly and growling in her throat. "Who the hell do you think you're scarin'? We came from the same house; not much scarier than that." He reminded her plainly. She looked around, making sure they were alone before nodding her head to a bench close by.

"Look, Bray, I lost my shit back then, okay? I hurt some people and wasn't the Faith you always looked up too. All their anger is in the right place, I deserve it. Can you take that and leave it alone?" she asked. He looked at her for a few minutes before reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"Could, yeah." He said inhaling the calming smoke. "But I won't." He said offering her a drag. She took it without a second thought and looked straight ahead. "Seen some pretty slimy stuff, yunno? Hearin' my sister's a murderer bugs me. I wanna know what the hell happened to you." He said.

"I told you, I lost my shit." She said her voice angry.

"Yeah, ya don't say?" he asked. Faith didn't respond. "I just wanna know what exactly took you from bein' the one who would jump in front of a fist for me to bein' some kinda murderer." He said the last word pointedly. He wasn't surprised when she flinched.

"First guy?" she started. "Was an accident." She admitted finally.

"How'd it happen?" he asked taking his cigarette back. "Bitch I can't believe you smoked all my damn Newport. Was my last one, stuck with these nasty ass Marlboros." He said glaring at her.

"I…we..." she halted. "Me and B were patrollin' one night, yunno? We were out and dustin' vamps and we cut through this alley, I forget why now." She stopped, shaking her head. He listened closely. "Anyway, we cut through this alley and it's like, two in the morning and this guy he just….he jumps out at us. B, she grabs him thinking he's a vamp and flings his ass. I'm on a high so I stake him, yunno? I didn't hear her yellin' till it was too late and by then, he was bleeding and not dusting." She said. Braden lit another cigarette, handing it to her. "Was just…." She motioned with a hand.

"So you're tellin' me that you were out dusting vampires and this strange guy jumps out at you in a dark alley at two in the morning and you're surprised you staked him?" he asked bluntly. Faith cringed.

"I should've been more careful." She insisted.

"How the hell do you get careful at two am? You were what, sixteen, seventeen?" he asked taking the cigarette and taking a long drag. "Where we come from if someone hops out at two am, you'd better fuckin' do somethin' to keep him from coming at you!" he said.

"It wasn't like that!"

"You were buzzing from killing vampires all night!" he hissed. "How the fuck can someone…anyone fault you for doing what comes natural?" he asked.

"Because an innocent guy lost his life." She said through clinched teeth. Her eyes were red but tears didn't fall.

"You think he was innocent." Braden corrected. "Far as you know, he thought you were a street walker and wanted a taste of something." He said. Faith shook her head, not wanting to accept this.

"After that, I sorta, spiraled." She said instead.

"I guess so, you two had just…had to be hell for ya both." He said leaning back. Outwardly, he appeared calm. "Bet you both went through hell tryina move past it." he said nudging her shoulder. She shifted.

"I really… I dunno." She said after a beat. "We kinda…went our separate ways after that."

"The hell you mean?" he asked sharply.

"I mean, I dealt in my way and she dealt in hers." Faith elaborated.

"But she helped you, right?" he asked. When Faith didn't answer, a dark look passed over his features. "Faith, you're fuckin' kidding me, yo. Where was your watcher?" he asked.

"Bray, you gotta understand somethin'," she started.

"Like hell I do!" he snapped.

"No, you do! I didn't go to them, alright? I had the choice but I didn't. I felt like I didn't need them so I did shit my way. Fucked up for me is it turned out to be the wrong way but don't go blaming them." She said grabbing the back of his neck roughly. He barely flinched.

"The fuck? When Ma and Pop beat the shit outta you, you tried to do hide that shit from me but I knew what they were like. So I came to you." He reminded her.

"You're my brother." She said.

"They were your fuckin' friends. We were kids, they were almost adults!" he tried to reason. Faith shrugged.

"Yeah, well, no matter where the blame is; it's all in the past now. I made some shitty choices and that was that."


	3. Chapter 3

**Whee doggy! I couldn't sleep so I typed this up. I think I'm happy with this chapter, well at the very least content with it. I know what general direction I want to take this in, and as you can see it's not exactly following the original. But it's in the neighborhood. Well, I'm finally getting tired so I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

Chapter 3

"I'm sorry if I can't seem to reconcile what you're tellin' me with who you used to be." Braden said after a few long moments. Faith shrugged, leaning back and looking out at the people passing them.

"You don't have too." She said finally. "I'm not that person anymore. Then again, I'm not the same person I was when we were kids either." She added. His leg began to shake in anxiously.

"So, you killed a guy on accident then what?" he asked finally. She sighed, mostly to herself.

"After that, I just let myself go." She said. "I stopped caring, cos it only got me in trouble. I just… I fell in with someone who I thought cared." She added. He looked over at her, his right hand twitching occasionally.

"Wrong crowed, eh?" he asked. She nodded and licked her lips.

"I started workin' for him and I just… I betrayed them, yunno?" she asked. He shrugged a shoulder; no he didn't know. "He was evil, he was what I was fighting then I'm with him and I'm fighting the good guys and I confused the shit outta myself." She explained. His leg bounced quicker. "Finally, there was this guy who…he paid me to kill this guy." She said quietly.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why did you take the money?" he asked angrily. Faith sighed again, rubbing her forehead roughly. "And stop that, you look like Pa when you do it. I imagine you're gonna throw somethin' at me at any moment now." He said with a frown. Faith clinched her jaw.

"I took the money because I needed it." she said finally. "The first guy was this smuggler dude. Hell, I really don't even know if he was human." She added after a beat. "Then there was this…demon thing and finally, this professor." She shuddered.

"So, you took the money cos you needed it. Did you kill cos you needed the money?" he asked sitting forward. He rested his elbows on his knees that both seemed to be shaking nonstop. She was quiet and he glanced at her over his shoulder. "Well?" he prodded. She swallowed, looking down at her lap.

"He loved me." She said with a pained smile. There were tears swimming in her eyes that she didn't want to let fall.

"Excuse me?" he questioned. She took a shuddering breath.

"He…he loved me." She said again. "He didn't just wanna fuck me, yunno? Like, he really cared." She explained.

"But he was evil." He reminded her. He had to have been evil; he'd made Faith kill.

"The world isn't black and white, Braden. You know there's all kind of grey areas that explain the shit we can't see." She said automatically.

"So, you're saying that this evil dude loved you and that's okay cos of the 'grey area'. But you were just plain out evil and don't deserve a chance and that all the blame should be on you? There's no 'grey area' with that?" he asked standing up. He paced in front of her angrily, his whole body shaking.

"I…Bray, it's just…"

"Just what, Faith? He got your loyalty while you got to become a cartoon villain? Is that it?" he asked. Faith wiped at her eyes, leaning forward and breathing shakily.

"I didn't know what else to do." She finally said her voice cracking. He looked at her, finally sighing and kneeling.

"So you went with the easiest option?" he asked. She nodded, wiping the tear that rolled down her cheek.

"Yeah, pretty much." She said. She stood suddenly, almost knocking him back. He stood as well, pulling her to him quickly and tightly.

"Man, you are so fucked up but I love you." He said. She chuckled into his shoulder.

"Maybe I shoulda stayed in the crazy house, eh?" she questioned. He shrugged, pulling back.

"Maybe Ma and Pa shoulda did a better job with you; saved you all this emotional shit." He said waving a hand. She shook her head.

"C'mon, I'm gonna go find a room then walk you back to Buffy's." she said. As the two walked away, he couldn't help but smirk.

"So….this Buffy's hot shit, eh?" he asked.

* * *

Willow stood staring at Kennedy, her mouth opening and closing several times.

"She's….your sister?" she asked. Kennedy nodded. "She never…but she never said she had a sister! Or-or any family really!" Willow said insistently. Kennedy actually laughed.

"I was given up for adoption when I was like, one. Half the time I was surprised she remembered me." She said with an almost bitter smile. "Besides, how often did you two actually sit around and talk?" she asked. Willow looked away guiltily.

"Well…okay so we didn't but I would have thought that she'd mention siblings." She said grasping at straws. Kennedy shrugged a shoulder.

"Was she…was she really bad?" she asked finally. Willow furrowed her eyebrows in concentration and pain.

"Yeah." She said finally. "She was…she was the worst kind of Big Bad around." She said finally, looking down at her hands.

"Why? What made her so bad?" Kennedy asked defensively. Willow looked away.

"She was human."

* * *

"Man, I've missed you." Braden said as the two made their way back to Buffy's house. Faith just smiled, bumping her shoulder with his.

"Yeah, me too." She said after a beat. He grinned, ducking his head to let his hair fall into his eyes. "But I think you need a haircut, pretty boy." She joked. He laughed.

"Nah, I like it." he said shaking his shaggy hair. She shrugged a shoulder.

"Whatever floats your boat." She said. As they turned onto Buffy's street, the two grew silent. Finally, they approached the house and Faith knocked sharply.

"Hey, abo- oh, it's you." Dawn looked at her bitterly. Faith sighed, but motioned Braden in.

"Just returnin' this." She said. Braden huffed indignantly but made his way into the house.

"Isn't he a little young for you?" Dawn asked quirking an eyebrow. Faith laughed before she could stop herself.

"Wow." Was all she said as she turned to walk away.

"Hey!" Dawn cried. "Where are you going?" she asked leaving the house. Faith shrugged.

"On patrol." She replied.

"Buffy's on patrol tonight; you don't need to be." She said crossing her arms. Faith sighed, stopping at the end of the walkway.

"Is there somethin you wanna say to me, Kid?" she asked facing Dawn. The younger girl cocked another eyebrow.

"I'm so pissed at you." She said. Faith waited patiently. "I can't believe you went all crazy and stab happy like that." She added with an insulted huff. Faith shrugged a bit,

"I was young and fucked up. Now I'm older…and fucked up." she said after thinking. Dawn glared at her.

"Do you regret any of it?" she asked defensively. Faith didn't speak, she simply looked away. "Are you a good guy again?" she asked when Faith still didn't speak.

"No, I'm not." She said openly. "But I'm tryina be. I just need one more chance." She said throwing her hands out helplessly. Dawn swallowed, and looked down.

"Well, I guess since we forgave Angel and Spike for all the people they've hurt and stuff; you deserve a chance too." She said grudgingly.

"No, I don't deserve anything. 'Specially not from you guys." She corrected her. "But I'd like one."

"Then don't mess it up." Dawn said looking over her shoulder back at the door. "I remember when you were good." She said then she scoffed to herself. Faith furrowed her brows in confusion.

"I don't." she said quietly before turning and walking away.

* * *

Faith yawned as she entered the living room three hours later and leaned against a far wall. Braden stood near her, his head resting back as he dozed while Buffy spoke.

"Wait wait…you mean to tell me some kinda oogey boogey gets his kicks from pretendin' to be dead people?" Faith cut in. Buffy looked up, perturbed at being interrupted.

"Yes." She said coldly. Faith stood straighter.

"And he's after the slayer and nobody thought to tell me?" she asked, her voice steadily rising.

"You were in prison, Faith; where you still should be I might add. We thought you'd be safe." Buffy explained. She turned back to Giles. "Now, we-"

"Bullshit!" Faith exploded. "That coulda made things _worse _Buffy." She said her voice low and angry.

"He's after the Slayer; I really don't think you had much of a problem." Xander tossed out. Faith rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Wow, really?" she asked no one in particular. "B, haven't you died? Twice?" she asked. Buffy frowned at her.

"And what happened when you died the first time?" Braden asked, his eyes still closed.

"Another slayer was called. I thought you said you understood the process." Buffy frowned at him. She didn't have a problem with him really.

"And the second time?" he questioned casually.

"We grieved a-and we fought all the baddies." Willow said proudly. They'd done a darn good job too!

"But no slayer was called?" he asked next.

"Well no. Faith was still…active…" Xander trailed off. "Oh." He said after a beat.

"Yeah, 'oh'." Faith said glaring at him. Anya glared at her.

"Am I missing something?" Kennedy asked. Faith didn't break eye contact with Buffy.

"She's not the slayer; she's a slayer." Faith said. Buffy frowned and shifted.

"I don't understand." Dawn said.

"Someone told me no on in this room was stupid. I want you to hold your face closer so I can hit you for lying." Braden said glaring at Willow.

"Another slayer won't be called unless I die." Faith said slowly.

"But tha- oh. Oh, wow, I'm…sorry?" Willow asked.

"You're sorry?" Braden and Faith asked at one time. Kennedy cringed; it was never good when they spoke at once.

"Some big prison broad came at me like she was crazy and you're sorry? I coulda got killed in there!" Faith snapped.

"Funny, the thought of you dying makes you squirm. Didn't have much of a problem killing others though, did you, F?" Buffy asked falsely apologetic.

"Yeah? Neither did your new vampire toy either, but he's still here and a member of your crew." Faith said smoothly.

"Ey, Slayer! I didn't have a bloody soul!" Spike defended himself.

"I didn't have my sanity but that doesn't make what I did any less horrific, now does it?" Faith fired back. Spike glared at her but didn't speak up.

"If anything, it makes you worse!" Buffy snapped back. "You knew what you were doing was wrong but you didn't care." She said, anger coursing through her.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware your name was Faith. Tell me, what else were you feeling back then?" Faith asked, her voice sounding astonished.

"Buffy…" Willow trailed off.

"Oh, right, it's time to turn on the 'poor me' routine. Faithy didn't get enough love as a child so she took it out on everyone else." She glared at the other slayer.

"I do the 'poor me' routine?" Faith asked in amusement. "'Oh, gee. Look at me, I'm Buffy and I gotta walk around saving the world. Damnit, I have having super human strength and speed.'" She said imitating Buffy. Buffy took a step closer and Faith did as well.

"I didn't ask for this!" she snapped.

"Newsflash, B, no one asks for this shit. It's put on us and we gotta deal with it." Faith said back. She took another step closer.

"Or abuse our power, like you?" Buffy taunted. "Yunno, you are good for something, F. You're the perfect example of what not to be." She said, disgust lacing her tone. Faith lunged and so did Buffy. Before they could reach each other, something knocked them back into separate walls.

"No one has time for a pissing contest." Braden said casually.

"You did that?" Xander asked, his heart racing from not only the confrontation but also the unexpected sound of two bodies colliding with walls.

"My sister's parents worked for the council; I picked up shit." Braden said. He glared at Buffy and then turned to Faith. "Stop being all butt-hurt and tell us what the hell we should do to stop this." He said looking around the room. Faith stood up finally, gently pulling her arm from Kennedy who'd rushed to help her.

"You can't just come in here and start comm-"

"Tell us, or we all go." He cut in. Buffy stood her ground.

"The door is right there." She said. "We've fought plenty of evil without you, we can handle this as well." She said confidently.

"No, we can't." Willow said quietly. "Buffy, it's killing potentials; it's trying to wipe out the entire slayer line. Who knows what could happen if it actually got to Faith." She said looking her best friend in the eye.

"I'm afraid Willow is correct, Buffy." Giles began. "We still aren't quite sure what we're dealing with and we don't know what the consequences could be if it did in fact kill the slayer." He finished.

"Yeah, you could lose your powers." Xander reasoned.

"I'm so glad all of you fucking care about Faith's life too." Braden said angrily.

"Bray, let it go." Faith said resting a hand on his shoulder. Buffy looked around and then sighed; she'd been out voted.

"Fine, this is what you need to do…"


End file.
